By Emmanuel Gamson
Takoradi, Oct. 07, GNA – Some 12 individuals suspected to be illegal miners, have been arrested in connection with the destruction of a section of the railway line linking Takoradi to Nsuta through Akyem in the Western Region.
They are to appear before the Tarkwa Circuit Court on October 7, 2025.
The suspects; Denis Adom, Alex Kofi Acquah, Kwame Simon, Isaac Arhin, Larry Koku, Lambon Moysi, Ali Asoma, Nurudeen Kobina, Jude Azumah, Yendari Bonber, Jonathan Ayandor, and Daniel Combat, are all residents of Akyem.
Their arrest was in response to the circulation of a viral video showing an extensive damage to the railway lines due to illegal mining activities.
Illegal miners had dug out the entire foundation beneath the railway bridge, stripping away all the soil and leaving the metal rails suspended in mid-air.
A section of the railway line had also been removed, with the embankment collapsing into the water.
Mr Joseph Nelson, the Western Regional Minister, who led a team to conduct an on-site inspection to evaluate the situation, commended the Tarkwa Nsuaem Police for arresting the 12 suspects, and said he would follow the case to its logical conclusion.
He said: “The issue is not just about flushing them out, because we know from experience that when you flush them out, some of them come back, so I think that as Police, you must be sharper and more effective to be ahead of them.”
He said a railway line was critical for Ghana’s manganese exports, but faced severe threats from illegal miners.
Mr Nelson, thus, called on traditional leaders to take control of their communities to prevent illegal miners from further destroying critical national infrastructure like the railway lines.
He further warned residents of Akyem community to desist from engaging in illegal mining activities, stating that the law would deal with anyone found culpable of such activities.
GNA
Edited by Justina Paaga/Lydia Kukua Asamoah